text:
You are here
Crack Propagation
I have an investigation on Crack Propagation.
How can i predict the path of a crack.
Please help me!
automatic remeshing
You have received many replies to your question. Perhaps the quickest way for you to do what you want to do is download the program Franc-2d from the Cornell Fracture Group website.
This program allows you to grow cracks according to the criteria mentioned in previous replies; it automatically remeshes propagating cracks, and provides accurate solutions.
Good luck.
Please share this code for discuss together
Dear Atmaca;
I you want, please share that code to firstname.lastname@example.com.
We will discuss about that, my research is same you, I must modify the code C++ for predicting the crack propagation under dynamic loading.
Very happy for your cooperation, Goodluck
Numerical methods to track propagation of a crack
In a brittle, homogeneous, isotropic material, crack propagates along a mode I path. That is, KII = 0 at the tip of the crack as the crack advances. This path-selection criterion seems to be consistent with a number of experimental observations. One example that comes to mind is
To predict crack path by numerical calculation, one has to calculate the crack tip field accurately, and then use the mode-I criterion or some other criteria to advance the crack by a small amount. One then repeats this process incrementally.
The essential requirements for the numerical methods are then
- Resolve stress field around the crack tip.
- Track the crack path.
These requirements will challenge traditional finite element method. I have seen people use boundary element methods and meshfree methods. Perhaps experts of these methods can give you the references. Here is a paper in which I was involved:
J. Liang, R. Huang, J.H. Prévost, and Z. Suo, Evolving crack patterns in thin films with the extended finite element method. International Journal of Solids and Structures. 40, 2343-2354 (2003).
This paper applies the meshfree method, and gives some of the references.
Edit: meshfree method above should be replaced by XFEM. See the comment by YingLee.
There is the XFEM for the crack caculation.
You can see the follow URL:
The XFEM is pretty for the Crack Propagation calculation.
Crack growth criteria
A few more details; Zhigang's response is concise and clear. Brittle crack propagation criteria come in different flavors but they all lead to similar end results, whether one uses the maximum hoop stress, maximum energy release rate or the maximum strain energy density criteria. In 2D, to apply any of these, one needs to determine K_I and K_II from the numerical solution (displacements, strains, and stresses are first computed in the domain). For FEM and method of that ilk, the domain form (Li, Shih, Needleman; Shih, Moran and Nakamura; Nikishkov and Atluri; Yau, Wang and Corten, etc.) of the interaction integral is well-suited to extract the mixed-mode SIFs. For pure mode I, the above reduces to the domain form of Rice's contour J-integral. The above are spelled out in many of the x-fem papers and also in the FEM literature: derivation of the domain form of the interaction integral is provided in Moes, Dolbow and Belytschko and some of the above details/references appear in the x-fem paper with Prevost.
In 3D, the problem is a lot more demanding. One of the outstanding issues from a computational perspective is how best to extrack mixed-mode SIFs/energy release rate along a crack front in 3D for Galerkin methods. In 3D, are there better alternatives than domain integral formulations for SIF computations (accurate and reasonably fast)?
simulate 3D interacting cracks
For an even harder and interesting problem, how to simulate a 3D body with lots of interacting cracks?
Re: Interacting cracks
Yes, that's a tough one; just dealing with 2 planar cracks posed many challenges and (numerical) issues. In all cases, need pretty good/accurate SIF calculations on the crack front so that the front remains smooth and is less prone to wreaking havoc in the subsequent `time' steps (quasi-static).
simulate 3D interacting cracks with FMM BEM
The boundary integral equation/boundary element method (BIE/BEM), especially the one accelerated with the fast multipole method (FMM), is pretty good in modeling multiple crack interactions and growths in both 2-D and 3-D. In the BEM, only the boundary (e.g., crack surfaces) need to be discretized and more accuracte values of SIFs can be obtained. 2-D models with thousands of cracks and 3-D models with hundreds of cracks have been solved successfully with the fast multipole BEM. See two recent papers:
- Wang, P. and Z. Yao (2006). "Fast multipole DBEM analysis of fatigue crack growth." Computational Mechanics 38: 223-233.
- Yoshida, K., N. Nishimura and S. Kobayashi (2001). "Application of fast multipole Galerkin boundary integral equation method to crack problems in 3D." International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering 50: 525-547.
Finite-deformation irreversible cohesive elements
A paper by Ortiz & Pandolfi proposes 'Finite-deformation irreversible cohesive elements for three-dimensional crack-propagation analysis'
The paper can be found at:
I think the method proposed is very powerful for simulating 3D crack propagation problems and its integration into standard FEM codes is quite straightforward (you just have to implement the tangent stiffness matrix).
I hope it helps.
I replied it in the wrong place
You have received many replies to your question. Perhaps the quickest way for you to do what you want to do is download the program Franc-2d from the Cornell Fracture Group website.
This program allows you to grow cracks according to the criteria mentioned in previous replies; it automatically remeshes propagating cracks, and provides accurate solutions.
Good luck.
Crack propagation
Dear Nihat,
I would be pleased to help you with your problem, please contact me on bordas AT civil DOT gla DOT ac DOT uk I will give you a computer code based on XFEM which deals with crack propagation.
Dr Stephane Bordas
Crack propagation using XFEM
You can also take a look at this paper in IJNME, which should help you understand the code.
An extended finite element library (p n/a)
Stéphane Bordas, Phu Vinh Nguyen, Cyrille Dunant, Amor Guidoum, Hung Nguyen-Dang
Published Online: 5 Jan 2007
DOI: 10.1002/nme.1966
Dr Stephane Bordas
Fractures at Macro level
Dear Nihat,
This free programme will help you to do mesh configuration that you have in your mind. Actually first of all you define initial cell vectors which are about your sample under crack, by giving the number of steps and time lattice you will find this programme changing your initial position by time and the other factors which you have and you can improve. This file attached below will be additional aid to define initial position of your crack or even use MOLDY to do it for you, please feel free to contact me if you will need more information.
Additional Information about cell vectors
Good Luck.
Mahdi Kazemzadeh
same thing
HI MR Stephane
please do you mind if you send me the code dealing with the crack?, i have the same problem
as Mr Nihat.
Can you please contact me
Can you please contact me by email? Thanks,
Dr Stephane Bordas
Stephane, can you email me a copy of your computer code?
May you email me a copy of your XFEM code?
I want to see if I can use it to do simulations of some fluid shock wave problem.
Thank you!
Crack tip opening displacement criterion
For mode I and mixed-mode I/II elastic-plastic problems, you may try CTOD criterion. The following is a recent paper by my advisors and me:
Lan, W., Deng, X., Sutton, M.A., Three-dimensional finite element simulations of mixed-mode stable tearing crack growth experiments, Engineering Fracture Mechanics (2007), doi: 016/j.engfracmech.2006.12.026.
Crack Propagation
Dear Nihat,
You have got some solutions which they all are helpful. I had the same issue before and here is some points which I think will be useful later and if you want to continue working on this issue,
1) There is free MD (molecular dynamics) simulation programme on web which you can download from link below using FTP server. The name is MOLDY and it is very simple to work with. In order to solve your problem you can use just some sub. of this programme after compiling it. That is written in C and later you can develope it for your further multi scale modellings if you want. It is possible to use parallel computation systems for this purpose. If you couldnt find the place to develope this command lines for your issue, feel free to email me.
A GENERAL-PURPOSE MD CODE or type Moldy in Google and click on the name above.
2) you can write system specification file for your initial conditions that exist in your issue and then by running this model you will get some results.
3) Defining cell vectors, temperature, moleculs diameter and your modelling steps will enable you to simulate propagation and solve your problem even numerically. It is easy to work with.
4) Considering stress distribution nearby crack tip, for brittle isotropic material you have to come up with this (K). It varies with the intensity of stress around your tip and your mode which can be opening mode (I). It depends on your crack shape and physics of your material also. MOLDY will help by a right assumptions which you will do.
5) Some scientist like, Prof. gumbsch, Prof. Gao, Dr. Buehler even have worked on hyperelasticity which occures in crack tips. Here is the list of papers helped me come up with this issue somehow:
- Molecualr dynamics investigating of dynamic crack stability, p. Gumbsch, 1997.
-A molecualr dynamics investigation of rapid fracture mechanics, F. Abraham, 1996
-Atomistic Aspects of Crack Propagation in Brittle Materials, Elefterios Lidorikis and ..., 2002
-Dynamical fracture instabilities due to local hyperelasticity at crack tips, Dr. Buehler, 2006
They are not cited in a normal way!! if you couldnt find them I will send you the link from Scopus. By devoting more time in this stage of your work, modelling will more enjoyable later. Please feel free to contact me if I can help anyway.
Good Luck,
Mahdi Kazemzadeh
Stress and displacement fields at the tip of the growing crack
Dear All,
The direction of the crack growth depends on the current DSIFs and the crack velocity or only denpends on the crrent DSIFs.
Because i have read the method to predict the direction of crack growth in the book of Broek (Elementary engineering Fracture Mechanics, page 375- 376) and i saw that the direction of crack growth only depends the current DSIFs.
But in the paper (The time-domain DBEM for rapidle growing cracks of P. FEDELINSKI* AND M. H. ALIABADIR, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, VOL. 40, 1555-1572 (1997)), i have seen that the direction of crack growth depends on DSIFs and velocity of crack tip.
So, please give me comment about that problem.
2D EDI J-integral
Hi, I also have written a FORTRAN 90 crack propagation FEM code but for 2D elastic case. I use displacement exptrapolation technique to calculate the stress intensity factor KI and KII. Currently I am trying to calculate J-integral using equivalent domain integral but somehow need to create mesh domain (ring) around the crack tip first. I would be happy if somebody can help me out.
J integral and path around the crack tip
If you mean that you want to produce a closed node-path around the crack tip which is idepedent of the radius-distance in a local CS from the crack tip, (you should rettrive -about-the same results ) I have a code in ANSYS APDL for doing this.It produces the path and then calculates the J integral using the values estimated in the nodes of the path.
J-integral by Equivalent Domain Integral (EDI)
From my reading calculating J-integral using close path line integral has disadvantage as SIF for mode I and II for example cannot be separated unlike using EDI.
EDI for SIFs extraction
Hi, if you're looking to obtain both SIFs it's better that you use an Interaction Integral. As with EDI, you'll need to define a plateau function 'q' that takes values of 1 for nodes within a circle of user-defined radius centered on the crack tip, and 0 for the remaining nodes. Defined this way, you evaluate the integral on elements around the crack tip where the q-function has gradient different from zero, i.e. the ring you mention.
J integral and path around the crack tip
I this the best way is you read some code which related to crack propagation. They are free on Internet. If you want to get the nodes around crack tip to use for calculate the dynamic J-integral, you should choose a circle which its center is crack tip point and on this circle we will some nodes, these nodes will be uesed to calculate the integration under line integral mark of J-path formular. And the other nodes inside that circle will be used to calculate the integration under area integral mark of J-pth formular. When you change the radius of the circle, those datum in above procedure will change but its value is not change. This is called the independent J-path.
Good luck
Fracture man...
hi i have the same
i have the same probleme like Mr Nihat
please could you give me more details !
J integral and path around the crack tip
Dear, Mr Fracture Man
where I can get that source code Sir
Maybe you can share ....
I need it to validation result output from ansys ...
Thanks before and greetings super
dear atmaca you need to
dear atmaca
you need to things to make crack propagatio
1-criteria for the crack propagation direction
i know some like
a) The Maximum Energy Release Rate Criterion
b) Maximum Circumferential (Tangential) Stress Criterion (MTS-Criteria)
c) Minimum Strain Energy Density Criterion (S-Criterion)
(d) The J-criterion
e) Maximum Dilatational Strain Energy Density Criterion (T-criterion)
f) Maximum Dilatational Strain Energy Density Criterion (Y-Criterion)
g) Vector Crack Tip Displacement (CTD) Criterion
h) Tangential Stress Factor and Tangential Strain Factor Criteria
i) Maximum Tangential Strain Criterion
k) Ip-Criterion
Among the aforementioned criteria, the maximum tangential stress and the
minimum strain energy density criteria are widely used in mixed mode crack
growth studies.
2-u need a low to calculate the number of cycles for each crack icr
i make my models by ANSYS i insert code for remesking in it and for fracture parameters calculation
solving with mathematica
Im a student of rock mechanic engineer(master)
from Mohammad Eqbal
My thesis is about crack propagation in rock slope (brittle materials) with mathematica 6Before use G ore S ore sikma critration I need a failoure critration for start of Crack appearance and this is a problem.I need a sample of mathematica based on crack propagation.
mutiple crack modeling in ansys
i m a 2nd year m.tech student doing project on fracture mechanics. i want to find the SIF for mutiple cracks in same model. can anybody tell me how to do that?
Problem with Criterion
Hi all,
I'm working on crack propagation through XFEM. I chose Maximum Circumferential Stress Criterion and in formulation, we need to know that KII is positive or negative. (θc=2*arctan(0.25(KI/KII-sign(KII)*sqrt((KI/KII)^2+8)))).
(Because I used seperation J-integral method)
1. How could I find that the KII is positive or negative?
2. Is there any other criterion that you recommend?
Re: Problem with Criterion
You can use the expression for the crack growth direction that was
suggested by Suo and appears on page 7531 in S and Prevost, IJSS, V40,
7513-7537, 2003. Only the ratio KII/KI appears; do not need to know the
sign of KII.
Re: Problem with Criterion
Dear Dr.Sukumar,
Thanks for hints, but I think if we use the formulation, the critical direction always will be negative (considering resullt of arctan between ∏/2 & -∏/2).
Because this angle is calculated to local direction of crack, it will be sum up with previous crack angle and so, direction of crack won't be correct, unless similar to Maximum Circumferential Stress criterion, KII shows positive and negative values.
And, What is the meaning of negative KII? This fracture mode shows sliding of crack surfaces, how could we interpret this problem?
sign of KII and crack growth direction
No matter what criterion you use, the direction of crack growth would depend on the sign of KII. Once the coordinate is set, the sign of KII depends on the sign of the shear stress ahead of the crack tip, which can be either positive or negative. Note that KI is always positive. For a straight crack, it kinks upward when KII is negative and kinks downward when KII is positive, in a standard crack coordinate. In XFEM, one may calculate KI and KII by using the interaction J-integral method as outlined in the Appendix of this paper:
J. Liang, R. Huang, J.H. Prévost, and Z. Suo, "Evolving crack patterns in thin films with the extended finite element method".
International Journal of Solids and Structures,40, 2343-2354 (2003).
Hope it helps.
Great hint for sign KII
Dear Huang,
Your hint seems to be really helpful. I'm going to implement it in my source and I think the result will confirm your idea.
Today, I have used Maximum energy release rate by mean of J= J1cosθ + J2sinθ. (θc = arctan(J2/J1)). The result was in agreement with other available examples.
If you have any idea about this method, I will be glad to hear from you.
Great thanks,
max energy release rate
I have no experience using the maximum energy release rate criterion in FEM or XFEM, but am aware of some analytical approaches using this criterion. As far as I know, it requires calculation of energy release rate of a virtual extension of the current crack in various directions, which may not be convenient for numerical implementation. As for your equation, I am not sure how you define J1 and J2. I am not aware of a solution in this form. In any case, the angle θc can be either positive or negative, and thus one of your J1 and J2 must be allowed to take negative values.
Dear Huang,
Dear Huang,
I am using following formulationto calculate KI and KII:
Also, for crack speed I use (( Vcr = (1-Greleased/Gcritical)*Cs)).
Now, when crack propagate with Vcr, the J1 decreases but it gets bigger values rather than previous steps and sometimes negative value (J2 too), which I dont think it is logical.
Please give me some advice.
Are you trying to say that
Are you trying to say that the J is a vector?
Die ersten hundert Jahre sind erfahrungsgemaess die Schwersten!
Alles Gute!
dynamic crack growth
Looks like you are dealing with a dynamic crack growth problem, with which I am less familiar. Other imechanicians, like K. Ravi-Chandar and Young Huang , may have better ideas about the dynamic problem.
Great Thanks
Dear Huang,
Thanks for your care and responds.
Best wishes,
Maybe of interest
Maybe this reference can be of interest: A. Salvadori: "A plasticity framework for (linear elastic) fracture mechanics" - Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 56 (2008) 2092–2116. Hope it helps, Alberto
PLEASE SEND ME TO MY MAIL ID email@example.com
Effect of reflected stress wave on the local crack-tip fileds
Dear alls,
I have some points which i not yet understood, can you give me some comments:
1. Maybe you know the Book of Anderson (Fracture Mechanics), 3rd edition. In the chapter 4, page 183, example 4.1, i want to know why he use the longitudinal wave speed Cl, because you know, the dilatational wave speed Cd bigger longitudinal wave speed Cl, right?
So dilatational wave in the material body will come to crack tip sooner Cl.
2. Did you know the paper or the other source say about the sinificant effect of reflected stress wave on the local crack-tip fileds?
Please help me!!
Thanks and Regards,,
Re: Dilational vs longitudinal wave speed
If you think of the crack tip as a point dislocation source, then there are essentially two types of elastic waves that propagate. These are the P-wave (pressure wave or primary wave) that shows up first in an accelerometer trace and the S-wave (shear wave or secondary wave) which shows up later.
The P-wave is also called the "longitudinal wave" because the direction of the particle motion is the same as the direction of propagation. The velocity of this wave is c_p = sqrt{(lambda+2 mu)/rho}. This wave is also called the "dilational" wave. See for example "Waves and Imaging Through Complex Media ".
A good book for the basics is "Wave Propagation in Elastic Solids" by Jan D. Achenbach. Another that is good for applied wave propagation is "Quantitative Seismology - Vol 1" by Keiti Aki and Paul Richards.
-- Biswajit
A world of cracks in Japan
I am no engineer, but live in Japan and see many kinds of cracks every day, and sometimes new ones after an earthquake. I am intrigued by how cracks appear to radiate out from the corners of squares of concrete on the ground, or from the corners of window and door frames. I guess predicting where cracks go could largely depend on being able to predict where they start.
It gets more scary when we see news reports on the abundance of cracks in road tunnels, train tunnels, and the like. It is not clear what keeps all the infrastructure together, apart from hope.
The Research Cooperative
(NPO)http://cooperative.ning.com - an online meeting place for researchers,science writers, editors, translators, publishers and others
Reply to Peter: A world of cracks...
Dear Peter,
1. Roughly speaking, cracks form in the regions of stress concentration. Even after they are formed, they would propagate in the region of high local stresses or strain energy. Some of the expert discussions are about deciding which measures of local stresses/energy could best characterize the aforementioned "concentrations," in different contexts. (At other times, the crack-tip may be taken to be infinitely sharp in which case the stress field is singular, and so, the criteria of crack-growth to be applied have to be global in nature.)
2. The wall-cracks seen radiating from the corner of a window or a door are not necessarily deep. They may exist only in the outer plaster coating. If so, they pose no threat to structural integrity.
And, BTW, these cracks begin radiating from the corners because corners are the places of stress concentrations. In fact, any sudden change of geometry would act as a stress concentrator.
This form of cracking (in outer thin layers), is actually used as a means of experimental measurement of stresses. The technique is called "brittle coatings." Browse through the books on experimental stress analysis, or do a search on the Internet. For example, see the following URLs:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/dm161v0241j1x703/ (It gives a nice photograph)
http://courses.washington.edu/me354a/chap6.pdf (These class notes explain the thing a bit.)
3. As to the cracks you see on tunnels, I am guessing that they too must have formed in the outer plaster coating only. However, one would need to have a look at a few photographs or so before one could tell.... But I am sure in Japan there are concerned engineers anyway.
4. Overall, please note. Stress fields, being tensor fields, are mathematically more complicated than many vector fields such as, e.g., EM fields, or velocity fields in the laminar flow (as traced out by, say, ink streaks in clear water) are.
cracks in geotechnical engineering
freedom teaching and research
fortran code XFEM
Im a student of kntu aerospace in iran(master)
My thesis is about crack propagation with using xfem code in fortran
I need a help for that code.
I have a problem on shear failure for the material Ti-6Al-4v
hello, every one
recently,I need to develop model on the material of Ti-6Al-4v with Abaqus, I will use both Johnson-cook and shear failure model,
i am confused on the parameters for shear failure:
ks, i didn't find this value on internet;
the fracture energy for damage evolution, the value should be the same with Johnson-cook,help example madkes the same value, but i think it should be KII value for shear fracture,not KI.
I don't know if I have expressed clearly, could you help me ?
how to predict failure in crack body......????
recently, i need to do a project it title is "Application of fracture mechanics to predict failure of a cracked structure".
can anyone tell me how 2 predict failure of cracked structure, and what parameters i need to consider to predict crack.......
Crack modeling of RC beam in Ansys???
Dear All,
How we can do Crack modeling of RC beam in Ansys?
How we can investigate Crack-path of RC beam in Ansys ?
Pls send me if you have pdf file( step by step learning file)!
Pls help me!
my email is email@example.com
Help !
Hi everyone
I am new user in Abaqus, i read most of the posts related to the modelling the crack but unfortunately i didnt get a clear procedure, maybe it is due to my weakness in this software.
i want to model a crack in abaqus and analysis the crack propagation, actually i am working on piezoelectric material, but i want to know, can you tell me different steps to model a crack and then how to analyze the propagation on it.
Please help me is this case.
getting crack-tip coordinate in Abaqus?
Hallo everyone,
i m using the Subroutine UDMGINI in Abaqus, i m looking for a method to get the crack-tip coordinate in Subroutine in Fortran.
is it possible?
i will be really grateful if anybody can help me!
droptest of model with a crack in it Abaqus
Hello everyone,
I want to perform o droptest of human Skull having crackin it.
Can I perform the simulation in Abaqus/explicit?
As far as I came to know Xfem in abaqus cant be carry out with dynamic loading.
Reply asap


text:
A factory reset will remove all personalized settings on your speaker (including remembered Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth connections). If you choose to perform a factory reset, you will have to set up the speaker from scratch afterwards.
On rare occasions, a factory reset may be recommended by Customer Support to solve a particular problem.
To perform a factory reset on your Zipp or Zipp Mini, hold the Nightingale and the power button on the back of your speaker simultaneously for 10 seconds.
The reset has initiated when the lights in the touch interface begin rotating clockwise. As soon as the reset has completed, the speaker will automatically enter setup mode.
Note: It is also possible to perform a factory reset by using the Libratone App.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
"For distinguished research and lecturing on ion beam analysis, semiconductor surfaces and thin film growth."
Dr. Feldman received his B.A. degree in 1961 from Drew University under the guidance of Prof. John Ollom and his Ph.D. from Rutgers State University in 1967 under the thesis supervision of Dr. Walter M. Gibson and Dr. Walter L. Brown. He then joined AT&T Bell Laboratories, serving as a member of the staff and department head in departments associated with semiconductor materials physics. In 1996 he assumed the position of Stevenson Professor of Physics at Vanderbilt University and Distinguished Visiting Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. During 1970 - 1971 he was a guest scientist at Aarhus University, Denmark.
Dr. Feldman's scientific contributions have centered about the use of ion beams for the study and modification of solids. This work addressed the question of surface structure of solids, mostly semiconductors, at the monolayer level. Current scientific endeavors include ion beam applications to nanostructures and organic materials. He is the co-author of a number of extensively used texts that describe the basic physics of these processes Dr. Feldman has been elected to the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, Fellowship in the American Physical Society, Fellowship in the American Vacuum Society and has been Chair of two Gordon Conferences, Particle-Solid Interactions and Defects in Semiconductors. He has recently served on the advisory councils of 1). Institute of Semiconductor Physics (Frankfurt-Oder), 2). Mikroelektronic Centre, Denmark, and, 3). Livermore National Laboratory.
James W. Davenport (Chair), Jim Roberto, Frans A. Spaepen, Joe Greene, Shirley Chiang


text:
Simple and tasty, the Florida Lobster Roll is the perfect bite for the dock after a day of diving.
Florida Lobster Roll
Yields 4 servings
- cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1 pound lobster meat, cooked and chopped
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 4 croissant rolls, sliced
- Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, onion and celery in a medium bowl. Gently add lobster and almonds. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, fill croissants with lobster mixture. Add shredded lettuce and tomato slices.
Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 473, Calories From Fat 265, Total Fat 29g, Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 99mg, Total Carbohydrate 21g, Protein 28g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 0.43g
For more Florida spiny lobster recipes, click here.
The official Chef of Florida, Justin Timineri, shares some of his recipes with us. A proponent of eating healthy, locally-grown and harvested produce and seafood, Timineri's recipes imbue that Fresh From Florida flavor. For more on chef Justin, click here.
Recipes and images courtesy of Chef Justin Timineri and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For more recipes coming from Timineri's kitchen, click here.


text:
While sunny days are best for solar production, solar panels generate electricity even on cloudy, rainy and snowy days. Solar panels do not generate electricity at night.
Show All Answers
Solar panel production fluctuates with production being the highest during the sunniest times of the day and year.
The solar facility is connected to the electric grid, not directly to residents' homes. The power produced by the solar plant will become part of the energy supply to the electric grid, which supplies power to residents' homes.
The solar parks located in Wadsworth provide on-peak energy, as well as transmission cost savings by being connected directly to the City's electric system. The energy from the solar projects represent about 6% of the City's overall energy needs and have minimal impact on the City's overall wholesale rates.
Solar panels are constructed with non-reflective coatings designed specifically to absorb as much sunlight as possible in order to maximize electrical generation, rather than reflect sunlight.
There is no evidence to indicate a solar project will impact neighboring property values. A 2018 study by Cohn and Resnick, a Chicago-based firm that specializes in property valuation, looked at home sales in proximity to six solar farms in Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. It found no measurable impact on property values adjacent to solar farms. Other studies reached similar conclusions: A study conducted across Illinois determined that the value of properties within one mile increased by an average of 2% after the installation of a solar farm. An examination of five counties in Indiana indicated that upon completion of a solar farm, properties within two miles were an average 2% more valuable compared to their value prior to installation. An appraisal study spanning from North Carolina to Tennessee shows that properties adjoining solar farms match the value of similar properties that do not adjoin solar farms within 1%. Importantly, a solar project brings numerous economic benefits to a community, including the potential for millions of dollars in additional tax revenue (or payments in lieu of taxes) which can be used to enhance schools, roads and essential services – enhancing both the quality of life and overall value of the community. Solar projects can deliver these economic benefits without making additional demands or impact on community services.
Pesticides, if used, will be managed in accordance to local and state regulations.
Through design and intelligent siting, glint and glare can be eliminated or kept to a minimum. Panels are made of solid materials and do not pose a chemical hazard to the general public, underlying soil, or groundwater. Additionally, the site is fenced with locked gates. Signage at the site alerts that it is a generation site and access is prohibited.
Modern solar projects are designed to operate for at least 25-30 years, during which time they are carefully managed and maintained.
Decommissioning is the process of removing all elements of a solar project and returning the land to its original condition – e.g., agriculture or grazing. As the project reaches the end of life, in many cases aging solar panels are replaced with newer, more efficient technology to extend their useful lives. However, should there no longer be a demand for the project after 25-30 years, it will be decommissioned. Our development contract indicates that our project partner, NextEra Energy Resources, will decommission the project at their expense,


text:
Roger Mason, Nick Young rally Wizards past Lakers
WASHINGTON -- The same arena that rocked to "M-V-P!" for Kobe Bryant in the first half was bellowing "Beat L.A.!" in the final minute.
It's amazing the fans weren't speechless over what they were witnessing. It wasn't merely that the Los Angeles Lakers had blown a 21-point, second-half lead to the lowly Washington Wizards -- it was the fact that the Lakers had essentially lost the game to a bunch of Wizards second-stringers.
It truly is almost surreal what happened in the fourth quarter of the Wizards' 106-101 victory Wednesday. Kevin Seraphin scored 10 of his career-high 14 points. Roger Mason hit three huge 3-pointers. Nick Young, who usually passes the ball only with great reluctance, had four of his career-high six assists. Trevor Booker, the only starter to see significant minutes, grabbed eight of his career-high 17 rebounds.
Also, Bryant, who seemingly could do whatever he wanted in the first half, went 1 for 10 in the final period to finish with an unfulfilling 30 points.
Conclusion: It's safe to say that the Lakers thought they had it won when they were leading 76-55 in the third quarter.
"I was out there kind of loafing around and having a good time," said Andrew Bynum, who scored 19 points but committed seven turnovers. "They played up, got the home crowd into it, and they were able to hit shots."
The Wizards will take it. They hadn't beaten the Lakers since 2006, a streak of nine straight losses. The same team that was called "unprofessional" by coach Randy Wittman after a 20-point loss to Golden State on Monday somehow pulled off a minor miracle.
"When our backs are against the wall," Young said, "you can't do nothing but go up."
Young finished with 19 points, and those half-dozen assists were indeed out of the norm for someone with only 38 in his first 36 games, causing him to joke that he had become "a complete player." Booker scored 18 points, and Seraphin shot 7 for 8 and tied his career high with nine rebounds. Mason finished with 14 points, and John Wall had nine assists to help make up for four points on 1-for-8 shooting. The bench tallied 55 points.
"A lot of us," Mason said, "are hungry to play."
Pau Gasol added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who dropped both ends of a road back-to-back. Bryant said the team "played a little tired" after an overtime loss at Detroit the night before, and on Wednesday he wasn't saying much of anything.
How surprised were you that you were up 21 and you lost? "Shocked."
How disappointed? "Very."
"I'll keep it to one word," Bryant then said.
The Wizards were their usual disjointed selves well into the third quarter, mixing dunks with misfired alley-oops and other failed attempts at flash. Jordan Crawford and Young were both 0 for 4 from 3-point range in the first half, and Wall didn't have a point until his dunk with 3:19 remaining in the third.
Young had a classic Wizards blooper in the second quarter, going up for an uncontested dunk only to have the ball slip out of his hands and fly over the backboard and into the rows of fans seated behind the basket.
The deficit was 21 when the Wizards started on a 26-7 run that pulled them within two at the end of the third quarter. Mason started the fourth by hitting a pair of 3s, and Seraphin twice gave Washington back the lead after the Lakers had rallied.
Seraphin's dunk -- Washington's 10th of the game -- and Young's jumper put the underdogs ahead 104-99 with 43 seconds left. After a dunk by Gasol, Booker grabbed an offensive rebound on Wall's missed jumper to keep the Lakers at bay. The Wizards made two free throws in the final 15 seconds to help seal the improbable win.
"Our mindset right now to play on the road," Lakers coach Mike Brown said, "is not what it should be."
Game notes
Bryant wore a clear mask to protect his broken nose. He had switched from a black one midgame the night before because it wasn't comfortable. ... Bryant is 12 points shy of 29,000 for his career. ... The Lakers wrap up their three-game road trip at Minnesota on Friday. ... Wizards F Rashard Lewis missed his fifth straight game with a sore left knee.
Regular Season Series
Game Information
- Referees:
- Josh Tiven
- Gary Zielinski
- Rodney Mott
2023-24 Pacific Standings
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
LA Clippers | 37 | 18 | .673 | - | W1 |
Sacramento | 32 | 23 | .582 | 5 | W2 |
Phoenix | 33 | 24 | .579 | 5 | L2 |
LA Lakers | 31 | 27 | .534 | 7.5 | W1 |
Golden State | 29 | 26 | .527 | 8 | W3 |
2023-24 Southeast Standings
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
Orlando | 32 | 25 | .561 | - | W3 |
Miami | 31 | 25 | .554 | 0.5 | W3 |
Atlanta | 24 | 32 | .429 | 7.5 | L3 |
Charlotte | 14 | 42 | .250 | 17.5 | L1 |
Washington | 9 | 47 | .161 | 22.5 | L10 |


text:
Oregon Books
-General Guides
-Specialty Guides
More Books about the Pacific Northwest
Columbia Books
-General guides
-Specialty guides
The Rockies
Idaho Books
-General Guides
Sun Valley
Montana Books
-General Guides
Glacier National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Northwest Books
Columbia River Gorge
Flora and Fauna
General Guides
Choosing Guidebooks
Specialty Guides
Washington Books
-General guides
-Specialty guides
Mt. Rainier N.P.
Mt. St. Helens
Olympic Peninsula
San Juan Islands
Here you will find gathered in one place, the titles we have highlighted on various pages at Go Northwest! To continue browsing through the bookstore, click a place name or topic at left. Books are listed alphabetically by title.
You can order these books online using a major credit or debit card, Amazon Store Card or checking account. Just click on a title of your choice.
Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland: Including the Coast, Mount Hood, St. Helens, and the Santiam River
by Paul Gerald
June 2010, paperback, 256 pages
Updated maps, new
hikes, new photos, and useful backpacking options make this authoritative guide to Portland's best day hikes even more useful
than before. This guide outlines what to bring, how to get to the trailhead, where to go on the trail, and what to look for while hiking.
Bike Rides Portland, Oregon: The Great Recreational Rides in the Metro
Area (Best Bike Rides Series)
by Lizann Dunegan
August 2015, paperback, 256 pages
Road rides, rail rides,
bike paths, and single-track mountain bike rides are highlighted in this
book along with maps, directions, GPS coordinates and color photographs.
Places Portland
by Elizabeth Lopeman
May 2010, kindle edition, 408 pages
The guide includes information on walking tours, the arts, shopping with a focus
on locally owned stores, nightlife and updated reviews of restaurants, hotels,
brewpubs and wine bars.
Citysmart: Portland
by Linda Nygaard
October 1998, 2nd edition, Paperback, 224 pages, (guidebook)
Features Portland's microbreweries, descriptions of city history and people,
and information specifically for families.
portland: A Curated Guide of Inspired and Unique Locally Owned Eating and Shopping Establishments
by Jon Hart and Kaie Wellman
October 2010, paperback, 192 pages
Focusing exclusively on locally owned restaurants and stores, these modern city-guides
features businesses to represent the crème de la crème beloved by both locals
and tourists. The overall selection presents a fresh and unexpected look at each city, highlighting an exciting array of neighborhoods.
In Focus Portland, 2nd Edition
by Fodor's
July 2010, paperback, 208 pages, (guidebook)
Fodor's choice ratings you can trust. Exceptional restaurants, hotels, and sights selected
to help you make the best choices. Simple pleasures. Embrace the local scene as you sip a local microbrew, stroll through Washington
Park, or dine on the freshest regional fare at great restaurants.
Portable Portland, 6th Edition
by Karl Samson
April 2010, paperback, 168 pages, (guidebook)
Whether at the International Rose Test Garden or in search of the city's best
microbrew, our expert author guides you to your best Portland experience. Included are detailed maps, candid reviews of hotels and
restaurants, plus sights, shopping, and nightlife, exact prices, directions, opening hours, and other practical information.
Portland: An Urban Eco Guide
by Serena Bartlett
August 2010, paperback, 272 pages
Our guide points travelers to an eco-urban adventure revealing a new look
at Portland, a city chock-full of bustling, eccentric neighborhoods. Each guide is the
actual experiences of local writers who offer up listings of places to volunteer, encourage visitors to take the bus, and
highlight places in the city to find inspiration.
The Insiders' Guide to Portland: Including the Metro Area and Vancouver,
by John Rumler, Dave Johnson, Thomas McGarry
September 1999, Paperback, 328 pages, (guidebook)
Local authors help you discover the cities bounty of parks and gardens,
trendy cafes and microbreweries, eclectic accommodations, funky
neighborhoods, Northwestern cuisine and numerous recreational pursuits.
Menu Guide - Portland
by Kathleen Casey, Mike Hablutzel (Editor), Michael Bruce
September 1999, 2nd edition, Paperback, 128 pages, (guidebook)
Moon Portland,
2nd Edition (Moon Handbooks)
by Hollyanna McCollom
July 2013, Paperback, 240 pages
This longtime resident covers the best of the Portland area featuring the most popular sights.
This guide has expert tips on the best dining including different cuisines, plus the best bars and nightclubs.
Nature Walks in & Around Portland: All-Season Exploring in Parks,
Forests & Wetlands
by Karen Whitehill, Terry Whitehill
May 1998, 2nd edition, Paperback, 192 pages, (guidebook)
City's Wilderness: Portland's Forest Park
by Marcy Cottrell Houle and Eric
October 2010, paperback, 256 pages
This updated, expanded edition of One City's Wilderness provides
directions to twenty-nine hikes of varying length, difficulty, and scenery,
covering every trail within the 5,100-acre park. Each hike is illustrated with a
new, full-color map, and a fold-out, full-color map of the entire park is
included inside the back cover.
Out and About Portland With Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide for Fun and
by Elizabeth Hartzell Desimone
July 1997, Paperback, 242 pages, (guidebook)
Covers Portland and surrounding areas (the coast, the mountains), including
restaurants that are kid-friendly, scenic drives, things to do when it's
raining, and places to host birthday parties.
Best Places
by Kim Carlson (Editor)
April 1998, Sasquatch Books, 4th Edition, 351 pages, (guidebook)
A team of Portland critics reviews the very best of the city's attractions,
including more than 150 restaurants.
Portland Cheap Eats: 200 Terrific Bargain Eateries
by Carrie Floyd (Editor)
November 1999, Sasquatch Books, 176 pages, (guidebook)
Portland Hikes: Day Hikes in Oregon and Washington Within 100 Miles of
by Art Bernstein, Andrew Jackman
May 2000, 3rd edition, Paperback, 259 pages, (guidebook)
Quick Escapes From Portland, OR: The Best Weekend Getaways
by Chris Cunningham
August 2010, paperback, 192 pages
We've done the planning. You do the packing. When you only
have a few days to get away, why spend half your time preparing? Quick Escapes frees you from the details and puts you on the road to a good
Portland, Oregon 2010: The Unique Guidebook to Portland's Hidden Sites, Sounds, & Tastes
by Tom Burgess, Ann Carroll Burgess, and
Linda Rutenberg
April 2010, paperback, 260 pages
An offbeat alternative to most basic travel guides, this volume exposes local histories and legends while revealing the
best eateries, hotels, and hottest nightspots. This handy travel tome shows experiencing the unknown can be truly unforgettable.
Go Northwest!
Best selection of books on the Northwest.
Don't know which guide to buy? Click here for tips. To order, click on book title.
About the Bookstore
We offer most titles via the
Associate Program of Amazon.com. In essence, they pay us a percentage
of the sale. There is no increased cost to you.
Go Northwest! is a free web site that you are welcome to use without obligation. If you would like to support Go Northwest!, simply begin every new shopping trip to Amazon.com by clicking on any book link or Amazon.com logo on our site.
How to buy
Click a book title here. At the Amazon.com site, buying the book is
basically a two-step process.
1. Click "add to shopping cart". This step is not an obligation to buy.
2. Click "proceed to checkout". Just follow their instructions.
3. To buy more than one book mentioned here, use your browser's "back"
button to return to this bookstore, and click on the book's title.
With thanks
We hope you enjoy your reading about the Great Northwest! We would love to
hear about your book recommendations, by
Go Northwest!® gonorthwest.com (tm)
Go Northwest!®
gonorthwest.com (tm) and GoNorthwest.com (tm) are trademarks of Go
Northwest, LLC
All original text, maps, photographs, and other images on this web site, as
well as the compilation and design thereof, are
Copyright © 1997-2019
Go Northwest, LLC. All rights reserved.


text:
Armstrong Atlantic State University's latest Coastal Empire Economic Monitor reports the Savannah-area economy expanded significantly during the third quarter of 2013 and should continue to experience growth in the first half of 2014.
The third quarter Economic Monitor, which analyzes data and identifies trends affecting the regional economy, reports the Coastal Empire leading economic index increased for the seventh consecutive quarter, with regional housing and labor markets experiencing considerable improvement.
A major uptick in consumer confidence — along with key gains in retail sales, tourism and port activity — also supported the regional economy. The acceleration of growth in the leading index indicates continued economic expansion through mid-2014.
"The underlying fundamentals of the economy have improved during the third quarter of 2013," said Michael Toma, Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Economics and the director of Armstrong's Center for Regional Analysis. "There have been broadly based gains in tourism, port activity, retail sales and the housing market. Looking ahead, we expect to see accelerated growth for the first six months of 2014."
Highlights from the latest Economic Monitor include:
• The Coastal Empire coincident economic index increased by half of a percent, rising to 158.9 and representing 2 percent annual growth.
• Tourism surged in the third quarter, with hotel room sales increasing by 7.4 percent from the previous quarter and by 11 percent from one year ago.
• The Coastal Empire leading economic index surged 1.5 percent, rising to 129.5 from 127.6 (revised) in the previous quarter.
• In the labor market, seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance plummeted 23 percent to 964 claims per month.
• The seasonally adjusted number of new residential homes permitted for construction was 334, marking a 22 percent increase from the second quarter of the year.
The Coastal Empire Economic Monitor presents quarterly economic trends and short-term economic forecasts for Savannah's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The quarterly report measures the heartbeat of the local economy, based on the analysis of economic data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the city of Savannah, Georgia Power and the three counties in the MSA—Chatham, Bryan and Effingham.


text:
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - The New England Patriots have selected TCU wide receiver Josh Boyce with the fifth pick of the fourth round of the NFL draft on Saturday.
The Patriots acquired the 102nd overall pick in a trade Thursday with Minnesota, shipping their first-rounder to the Vikings for second-, third-, fourth- and seventh-round draft choices.
Boyce is the second wide receiver taken in five picks for New England, which used their second-round selection Friday on Aaron Dobson of Marshall.
Both rookies will be competing for spots in a new-look receiving corps.
The Patriots already added veterans Danny Amendola, Donald Jones and Michael Jenkins at wide receiver. New England let Wes Welker leave via free agency and Brandon Lloyd was released.


text:
Well here we are again with another round of the top 5 passionista. Barbara had a really tough decision this week and although she had a hard time narrowing it down to just 5 she wanted to thank everyone for their gorgeous entries. The standard of entries was amazing again this week – you lot are so talented :)
Here is Barbara's top 5 passionista for week 26:
** Anne **
** Camilla **
** Cathy **
** Tanjaak **
** Tracy **
Well done ladies, you can now display the top 5 passionista blinkie on your blogs.
We hope you have fun with this week's 'vintage' theme challenge and also we've got something extra special planned for the whole of December – so don't miss the challenge on 1st December when all will be revealed *wink*. You must check out the weekend workshop this week as we have an amazing prize up for grabs.
Hugs, Denise, Gina & DT x x


text:
If you're a residential homeowner and you have paid your water bill on time for the last 12 billing cycles, we can apply your meter deposit, less the $5 service charge, to your water bill. Simply fill out the Water Meter Deposit Request form online or call Finance at (919) 557-3925, press option 2. If you are renting your home, or if you have a commercial/business account, your deposit will be applied to your final bill.
Show All Answers
Bills are due by the 25th of each month to avoid a $10 penalty. If you do not pay your bill by the 25th, you incur the $10 late charge. You have until the 15th of the following month to pay at least the previous month's bill to avoid disconnection of service and a $35 penalty.
Pay online, over the phone, in person at Town Hall, by bank draft, or by mail. View more information at the Payment Options section of our website.
We currently only have one billing cycle available with one due date.
To start your residential water, sewer, garbage, recycling, and yard waste services with the Town of Holly Springs, complete a utility application and submit it to customer service to be processed. If a deposit is required, we will call you to collect the deposit by credit card once the application is processed. If you are buying a home and can provide us with an intent to purchase or the first page of your closing disclosure, we will waive the deposit.
Yes, additional cans can be delivered to your home. There is no fee for delivery, but you will incur the additional monthly charge on your utility bill. Call Finance at (919) 557-3925, press option 9, to have additional cans delivered.
Call the Public Works Department at (919) 552-5920.
Call Public Works at (919) 552-5920. Staff will visit your property, evaluate the items that need to be collected, and leave a door tag noting how much the collection will cost. You can then visit Town Hall at 128 South Main Street and pay in person, or call (919) 557-3925, press option 9, to pay over the phone by credit card. We can't add this fee to your utility bill; it must be paid prior to collection.
Yes. To avoid paying sewer charges when irrigating your lawn or using outside water, you can have a second water meter installed by the Town of Holly Springs. To start this process, contact Development Services at (919) 557-3915. Once the permit has been paid for and picked up, the installation process can take up to 30 days to complete.
Yes, if you've had utility service with the Town of Holly Springs for at least 12 months, you are eligible for a one-time per 12 months waiver of a utility bill late fee. Fill out the online form within 30 days of when the penalty was assessed.


text:
LXXIII. Does Motion through the Æther cause Double Refraction?
By Lord Rayleigh, O.M., F.R.S[1]
THE well-known negative result of the Michelson-Morley experiment in which interference takes place between two rays, one travelling to and fro in the direction of the earth's motion, and the other to and fro in a perpendicular direction, is most naturally interpreted as proving that the aether in the laboratory shares the earth's motion. But other phenomena, especially stellar aberration, favour the opposite theory of a stationary aether. The difficulty thus arising has been met by the at first sight startling hypothesis of FitzGerald and Lorentz that solid bodies, such as the stone platform of Michelson's apparatus, alter their relative dimensions, when rotated, in such a way as to compensate the optical change that might naturally be looked for. Larmor ('Æther and Matter,' Cambridge, 1900) has shown that a good case may be made out for this view.
It occurred to me that such a deformation of matter when moving through the rather might be accompanied by a sensible double refraction; and as the beginning of double refraction can be tested with extraordinary delicacy, I thought that even a small chance of arriving at a positive result justified a careful experiment. Whether the result were positive or negative, it might at least afford further guidance for speculation upon this important and delicate subject.
So far as liquids are concerned, the experiment is of no great difficulty, and the conclusion may be stated that there is no double refraction of the order to be expected, that is comparable with 10-8 of the single refraction.[2] But the question arises whether experiments upon liquids really settle the matter. Probably no complete answer can be given, unless in the light of some particular theory of these relations. But it may be remarked that the liquid condition is no obstacle to the development of double refraction under electric stress, as is shown in Dr. Kerr's experiments.
The apparatus was mounted upon the same revolving board as was employed for somewhat analogous experiments upon the rotation in quartz (Phil. Mag. vol. iv. p. 215, 1902). Light, at first from the electric arc but later and preferably from lime heated by an oxyhydrogen jet, after passing a spectacle-lens so held as to form an image; of the source upon the analysing nicol, was polarized by the first nicol in a plane inclined to the horizontal at 45°. The liquid, held in a horizontal tube closed at the ends by plates of thin glass, was placed, of course, between the nicols. When at 12 o'clock the board stands north and south, the earth's motion is transverse and the situation is such as to exhibit any double refraction which may ensue. It might be supposed, for instance, that luminous vibrations parallel to the earth's motion, i. e. east and west, are propagated a little differently from those whose direction is transverse to the earth's motion, i. e. vertical. But if the board be turned through a right angle so as to point east and west, both directions of vibration for light passing the tube are transverse to the earth's motion, and therefore no double refraction could manifest itself. The question is whether turning the board from the north and south position to the east and west position makes any difference. In no case is any effect to be expected from a rotation through 180°, and such effect as a rotation through 90° may entail must be of the second order in the ratio which expresses the velocity of the earth relatively to that of light.
It should not be overlooked that according to the theory of a stationary aether, we have to do not only with the motion of the earth in its orbit, but also with that of the sun in space. The latter is supposed to be much the smaller, and to lie directed towards the constellation Hercules. In the month of April, when successful experiments were first made, the two motions would approximately conspire.
If the suggested double refraction, due to the earth's motion, were large enough, it would suffice to set the analysing nicol to extinction in one position of the board, and to observe the revival of light consequent on a rotation of the latter through 90°. But a more delicate method is possible and necessary. Between the polarizing nicol and the liquid column we introduce a strip of glass whose length is horizontal and transverse to the board. This strip, being supported (at two points) near the middle of its length, and being somewhat loaded at its ends, is in a condition of strain, and causes revival of light except in the neighbourhood of a horizontal band along the "neutral axis." Above and below this hand the strained condition of the glass produces just such a double refraction as might be caused by the motion of the liquid through the aether, so that the existence of the latter would be evidenced by a displacement of the dark band upwards or downwards. In order the better to observe a displacement, two horizontal wires are disposed close to the bent glass so as just to inclose the band, and a small operaglass focussed upon these is introduced beyond the analysing nicol. The slightest motion of the band is rendered evident by changes in the feeble illumination just inside the wires.
The board is mounted upon a point so as to revolve with the utmost freedom. The point is carried on the table and faces upwards. The bearing is a small depression in an iron strap, rigidly attached to the board, and raised sufficiently to give stability. The gas-leading tubes are connected in such a manner as to give rise to no forces which could appreciably vary as the board turns.
Observations were made upon bisulphide of carbon in a tube 76 cms. long, and upon water in a tube 73½ cms. long. In neither case could the slightest shift of the band be seen on rotation of the board from the north-south position to the east-west position, whether at noon or at 6 p.m. The time required to pass from one observation to the other did not exceed 15 seconds, and the alternate observations were repeated until it was quite certain that nothing could be detected.
Of course the significance of this result depends entirely upon the delicacy of the apparatus, and it is worth little without an estimate of the smallest double refraction that would have been detected. It may even be objected that the investigation stands self-condemned. In consequence of the earth's magnetism there must be a rotation of the plane of polarization when the light traverses the bisulphide of carbon in the north and south position; and this effect, it may be argued, ought to manifest itself upon rotation of the board.
To take the objection first, it is easy to calculate the rotation of the plane of polarization. For one C.G.S. unit of magnetic potential the rotation in CS2 at 18° is .042 minute of angle.[3] In the present case the length is 76 cms. and the earth's horizontal force is .18; so that the whole rotation to be expected[4] is
- 76 x .18 x .042 = .58'.
So small a rotation of the plane, which would show itself, if at all, by a fading and not by a displacement of the band, is below the limit of observation.
The delicacy of the apparatus for its purpose may, indeed, be inferred indirectly from the rotation of the nicol found necessary to engender a marked revival of light at the darkest part of the band. If θ be this angle, the revived light is sin²θ, expressed as a fraction of the maximum obtainable with parallel nicols. In the actual observation the nicols remain accurately crossed, and the question is as to the effect of a double refraction causing e. g. a retardation of vertical vibrations relatively to horizontal ones. If this retardation amounted to ½λ, λ being the wave-length, the effect would be the same as of a rotation of the nicol through 90°. In general, a retardation of phase ε, in place of π, gives a revival of light measured by sin²(½ε). If the revivals of light in the two cases be the same, we may equate θ to ½ε. Hence if we find that rotation θ produces a sensible effect in lessening the darkness at the darkest place, we may infer that there is delicacy sufficient to detect a relative retardation of 2θ due to double refraction. This comparison would apply if the test for double refraction were made by simple observation of the revival of light. As actually carried out by location of the band, the test must be many times more delicate.
It was found that a marked fading of the band attended a rotation of the nicol through 4'. According to this ε would be 1/450; or since a retardation of ½λ corresponds to ε = π, a retardation amounting to 1/1400 x ½λ should be perceptible many times over, regard being paid to the superior delicacy of the method in which a band is displaced relatively to fixed marks.
Another and perhaps more satisfactory method of determining the sensitiveness was by introducing a thin upright strip of glass which could be compressed in the direction of its length by small loads. These loads were applied symmetrically in such a manner as to cause no flexure. The double refraction due to the loads is of exactly the character to be tested for, and accordingly this method affords a very direct check. If the load be given, the effect is independent of the length of the strip and of its thickness along the line of vision, but is inversely as the width. The strip actually employed had a width of 15 mm.; and the application (or removal) of a total of 50 gms. caused a marked shifting of the band, while 25 gms. was just perceptible with certainty.
To interpret this we may employ some results of Wertheim (Mascart's Traité d'Optique, t. ii. p. 232), who found that it requires a load of 10 kilograms per millimetre of width to give a relative retardation of ½λ, so that with the actual strip the load would need to be 150 kilograms. The retardation just perceptible is accordingly ½λ6000. This may be considered to agree well with what was expected from the effect of rotating the nicol.
We have now only to compare the relative retardation which would be detected with the whole retardation incurred in traversing the 76 cm. of bisulphide of carbon. In this length there are contained 1,200,000 wave-lengths of yellow light, or 2,400,000 half wave-lengths. The retardation due to the refraction may be reckoned at .6 of this, or 1,440,000 half wave-lengths. Thus the double refraction that might be detected, estimated as a fraction of the whole refraction, is 1.2 × 10-10. The effect to be expected is of the order 10-8, so that there is nearly 100 times to spare. The above relates to the bisulphide of carbon. With the water the delicacy of the test was somewhat less.
When it is attempted to replace the liquid by solid matter, the difficulties of experiment are greatly increased. The best results that I have been able to obtain were with built up thicknesses of plate-glass. A sufficient thickness in one piece is liable to exhibit too much double refraction from the effect of internal strains. A number of triangular pieces of plate-glass, no larger than necessary, and about 6 mm. thick, were put together in a trough to a total thickness of about 110 mm. The interstices between the faces being filled up with bisulphide of carbon, the internal reflexions were sufficiently reduced. One difficulty is to get quit of motes and threads which adhere to the glass and become extraordinarily conspicuous. Advantage was thought to be derived from shaking up the bisulphide of carbon with strong sulphuric acid. At the best the residual motes and specks in the glass interfere very seriously with the observation, and the loss of light due to imperfect transparency operates in the same direction. The least load upon the upright strip that could be detected with certainty was now 100 grms., so that as compared with the observations upon liquid there was a loss of delicacy of four times. In addition to this, the effect to be expected is reduced in the proportion of 7:1, that being the ratio of lengths traversed by the light. Thus in all we lose 28 times as compared with the liquid. In the latter case we calculated a margin of 100 times, so that here there would remain a margin of about 3 times
A subsequent attempt was made to increase the total thickness of the combined glasses to about 220 mm., but no real advantage was gained. The loss of light and increase of disturbance from motes and residual double refraction prejudiced the delicacy in about the same proportion as the length of path was increased.
But although the results of the observations upon solids are very much less satisfactory than in the case of liquids, enough remains to justify us in concluding that even here there is no double refraction (of the order to be expected) due to motion through the aether.
Terling Place, Witham.
- ↑ Communicated by the Author. Read before Section A of the British Association at Belfast.
- ↑ , where 10-4 is the ratio of the velocity of the earth in its orbit to the velocity of light.
- ↑ Phil. Trans, clxxvi. p. 343 (1885); Scientific Papers, vol. ii. p 377.
- ↑ The difference between astronomical and magnetic north is here neglected.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse


text:
Capitaland largest city Victoria GDP (PPP) 2016 estimate Dialing code +248 Continent Africa | Legislature National Assembly Capital Victoria | |
Ethnic groups (2000) 93.2% Creoles3.0% British1.8% French0.5% Chinese0.3% Indian1.2% others Points of interest |
Seychelles (/seɪˈʃɛlz/ say-SHELZ; French: [sɛʃɛl]), officially the Republic of Seychelles (French: République des Seychelles; Creole: Repiblik Sesel), is an archipelago and country in the Indian Ocean. The 115-island country, whose capital is Victoria, lies 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) east of mainland East Africa. Other nearby island countries and territories include Comoros, Mayotte (region of France), Madagascar, Réunion (region of France) and Mauritius to the south. With a population of roughly 92,000, it has the smallest population of any sovereign African country; however, it does have a larger population than the British overseas territory Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
- Map of Seychelles
- seychelles the word paradise must have been invented for this indian ocean island chain
- History
- Independence 1976
- Politics
- Political culture
- Foreign relations
- Administrative divisions
- Geography
- Climate
- Wildlife
- Environmental issues
- Demographics
- Languages
- Religion
- Economy
- Tourism
- Energy
- Culture
- Education
- Cuisine
- Music
- Media and telecommunications
- Sports
- Military
- Incarceration
- Modern piracy
- References
Map of Seychelles
Seychelles is a member of the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations. After proclamation of independence from the United Kingdom in 1976, Seychelles has developed from a largely agricultural society to a market-based diversified economy, with agriculture being supplanted by rapidly rising service and public sectors as well as tourism. Since 1976, per capita output has increased nearly sevenfold. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade these sectors. Today, Seychelles boasts the highest nominal per capita GDP in Africa, excluding the French regions. It is one of only a handful of countries in Africa with high Human Development Index. Despite the country's newfound economic prosperity, poverty remains widespread due to very high level of income inequality, one of the highest in the world, and low wealth distribution.
seychelles the word paradise must have been invented for this indian ocean island chain
The Seychelles were uninhabited throughout most of recorded history. Some scholars assume that Austronesian seafarers and later Maldivian and Arab traders were the first to visit the uninhabited Seychelles. This assumption is based on the discovery of tombs in 1910. The earliest recorded sighting by Europeans took place in 1502 by the Portuguese Admiral Vasco da Gama, who passed through the Amirantes and named them after himself (islands of the Admiral). The earliest recorded landing was in January 1609, by the crew of the "Ascension" under Captain Alexander Sharpeigh during the fourth voyage of the British East India Company.
A transit point for trade between Africa and Asia, the islands were occasionally used by pirates until the French began to take control starting in 1756 when a Stone of Possession was laid on Mahé by Captain Nicholas Morphey. The islands were named after Jean Moreau de Séchelles, Louis XV's Minister of Finance.
The British controlled the islands between 1794 and 1810. Jean Baptiste Quéau de Quincy, French administrator of Seychelles during the years of war with the United Kingdom, declined to resist when armed enemy warships arrived. Instead, he successfully negotiated the status of capitulation to Britain which gave the settlers a privileged position of neutrality.
Britain eventually assumed full control upon the surrender of Mauritius in 1810, formalised in 1814 at the Treaty of Paris. Seychelles became a crown colony separate from Mauritius in 1903. Elections were held in 1966 and 1970.
Independence (1976)
Independence was granted in 1976 as a republic within the Commonwealth. In the 1970s Seychelles was "the place to be seen, a playground for film stars and the international jet set". In 1977, a coup d'état by France Albert René ousted the first president of the republic, James Mancham. René discouraged over-dependence on tourism and declared that he wanted "to keep the Seychelles for the Seychellois".
The 1979 constitution declared a socialist one-party state, which lasted until 1991.
In the 1980s there were a series of coup attempts against President René, some of which were supported by South Africa. In 1981, Mike Hoare led a team of 43 South African mercenaries masquerading as holidaying Rugby players in a coup attempt in what is known as the Seychelles affair. There was a gun battle at the airport, and most of the mercenaries later escaped in a hijacked Air India plane. The leader of this hijacking was the infamous German mercenary D. Clodo, a former member of the Rhodesian SAS. Clodo later stood trial in South Africa (where he was acquitted) as well as in his home country Germany for air-piracy.
In 1986, an attempted coup led by the Seychelles Minister of Defence, Ogilvy Berlouis, caused President René to request assistance from India. In Operation Flowers are Blooming, the Indian naval vessel INS Vindhyagiri arrived in Port Victoria to help avert the coup.
The first draft of a new constitution failed to receive the requisite 60% of voters in 1992, but an amended version was approved in 1993.
In January 2013, Seychelles declared a state of emergency; the tropical cyclone Felleng caused torrential rain, and flooding and landslides destroyed hundreds of houses.
The Seychelles president, who is head of state and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a five-year term of office. The cabinet is presided over and appointed by the president, subject to the approval of a majority of the legislature.
The unicameral Seychellois parliament, the National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale, consists of 34 members, 25 of whom are elected directly by popular vote, while the remaining nine seats are appointed proportionally according to the percentage of votes received by each party. All members serve five-year terms.
The Supreme Court of Seychelles, created in 1903, is the highest trial court in Seychelles and the first court of appeal from all the lower courts and tribunals. The highest court of law in Seychelles is the Seychelles Court of Appeal, which is the court of final appeal in the country.
Political culture
Seychelles' previous president France Albert René came to power after his supporters overthrew the first president James Mancham on 5 June 1977 in a coup d'état and installed him as president. René was at that time the prime minister.
René ruled as a strongman under a socialist one-party system until in 1993, when he was forced to introduce a multi-party system. During his tenure, he was accused of involvement in criminal activity. US Ambassador to Seychelles (1982–85) David Fischer has stated publicly that René was complicit in money laundering and murder, among other things. He stepped down in 2004 in favour of his vice-president, James Michel, who was re-elected in 2006 and again in 2011. On 28 September 2016, the Office of the President announced that Michel would step down effective 16 October, and that Vice President Danny Faure would complete the rest of Michel's term.
The primary political parties are the ruling socialist People's Party (PP), known until 2009 as the Seychelles People's Progressive Front (SPPF), and the socially liberal Seychelles National Party (SNP).
Foreign relations
Seychelles is a member of the African Union, the francophone Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), La Francophonie, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Commonwealth.
Administrative divisions
Seychelles is divided into twenty-six administrative regions comprising all of the inner islands. Eight of the districts make up the capital of Seychelles and are referred to as Greater Victoria. Another 14 districts are considered the rural part of the main island of Mahé with two districts on Praslin and one on La Digue which also includes respective satellite islands. The rest of the Outer Islands (Îles Eloignées) are the last district, recently created by the tourism ministry.
An island nation, Seychelles is located in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar and about 1,600 km (994 mi) east of Kenya. The archipelago consists of 115 islands. The majority of the islands are uninhabited, with many dedicated as nature reserves.
A group of 42 islands, referred to as the inland islands, has a total area of 244 km2, comprising 54% of the total land area of the Seychelles and 98% of the entire population.
The islands are divided into groups as follows.
There are 45 granite-based islands known as the Granitic Seychelles. These are in descending order of size: Mahé, Praslin, Silhouette Island, La Digue, Curieuse, Felicite, Frégate, Ste-Anne, North, Cerf, Marianne, Grand Sœur, Thérèse, Aride, Conception, Petite Sœur, Cousin, Cousine, Long, Récif, Round (Praslin), Anonyme, Mamelles, Moyenne, Eden, Ile Soleil, Romainville, Île aux Vaches Marines, L'Islette, Beacon (Île Sèche), Cachée, Cocos, Round (Mahé), L'Ilot Frégate, Booby, Chauve Souris (Mahé), Chauve Souris (Praslin), Île La Fouche, Hodoul, L'Ilot, Rat, Souris, St. Pierre (Praslin), Zavé, Harrison Rocks (Grand Rocher).
There are two coral sand cays north of the granitics: Denis and Bird.
There are two coral islands south of the Granitics: Coëtivy and Platte.
There are 29 coral islands in the Amirantes group, west of the granitics: Desroches, Poivre Atoll (comprising three islands—Poivre, Florentin and South Island), Alphonse, D'Arros, St. Joseph Atoll (comprising 14 islands—St. Joseph Île aux Fouquets, Resource, Petit Carcassaye, Grand Carcassaye, Benjamin, Bancs Ferrari, Chiens, Pélicans, Vars, Île Paul, Banc de Sable, Banc aux Cocos and Île aux Poules), Marie Louise, Desnoeufs, African Banks (comprising two islands—African Banks and South Island), Rémire, St. François, Boudeuse, Etoile, Bijoutier.
There are 13 coral islands in the Farquhar Group, south-southwest of the Amirantes: Farquhar Atoll (comprising 10 islands—Bancs de Sable Déposés Île aux Goëlettes Lapins Île du Milieu North Manaha South Manaha Middle Manaha North Island and South Island), Providence Atoll (comprising two islands—Providence and Bancs Providence) and St Pierre.
There are 67 raised coral islands in the Aldabra Group, west of the Farquhar Group: Aldabra Atoll (comprising 46 islands—Grande Terre, Picard, Polymnie, Malabar, Île Michel, Île Esprit, Île aux Moustiques, Ilot Parc, Ilot Emile, Ilot Yangue, Ilot Magnan, Île Lanier, Champignon des Os, Euphrate, Grand Mentor, Grand Ilot, Gros Ilot Gionnet, Gros Ilot Sésame, Heron Rock, Hide Island, Île aux Aigrettes, Île aux Cèdres, Îles Chalands, Île Fangame, Île Héron, Île Michel, Île Squacco, Île Sylvestre, Île Verte, Ilot Déder, Ilot du Sud, Ilot du Milieu, Ilot du Nord, Ilot Dubois, Ilot Macoa, Ilot Marquoix, Ilots Niçois, Ilot Salade, Middle Row Island, Noddy Rock, North Row Island, Petit Mentor, Petit Mentor Endans, Petits Ilots, Pink Rock and Table Ronde), Assumption Island, Astove and Cosmoledo Atoll (comprising 19 islands—Menai, Île du Nord (West North), Île Nord-Est (East North), Île du Trou, Goëlettes, Grand Polyte, Petit Polyte, Grand Île (Wizard), Pagode, Île du Sud-Ouest (South), Île aux Moustiques, Île Baleine, Île aux Chauve-Souris, Île aux Macaques, Île aux Rats, Île du Nord-Ouest, Île Observation, Île Sud-Est and Ilot la Croix).
The climate is equable although quite humid, as the islands are small, classified by Köppen-Geiger system as tropical rain forest (Af). The temperature varies little throughout the year. Temperatures on Mahé vary from 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F), and rainfall ranges from 2,900 mm (114 in) annually at Victoria to 3,600 mm (142 in) on the mountain slopes. Precipitation is somewhat less on the other islands.
During the coolest months, July and August, the average low is about 24 °C (75 °F). The southeast trade winds blow regularly from May to November, and this is the most pleasant time of the year. The hot months are from December to April, with higher humidity (80%). March and April are the hottest months, but the temperature seldom exceeds 31 °C (88 °F). Most of the islands lie outside the cyclone belt, so high winds are rare.
Environmental legislation is very strict, and every tourism project must undergo an environmental review and a lengthy process of consultations with the public and conservationists. Seychelles is a world leader in sustainable tourism. The end result of this sustainable development is an intact and stable natural environment, which attracts financially strong visitors (150,000 in 2007) rather than short-term mass tourism. Since 1993 a law guarantees the citizens the right to a clean environment and at the same time obliges them to protect this environment. The country holds a record for the highest percentage of land under natural conservation—nearly 50% of the total land area.
Like many fragile island ecosystems, Seychelles saw the loss of biodiversity when humans first settled in the area, including the disappearance of most of the giant tortoises from the granitic islands, the felling of coastal and mid-level forests, and the extinction of species such as the chestnut flanked white eye, the Seychelles parakeet, and the saltwater crocodile. However, extinctions were far fewer than on islands such as Mauritius or Hawaii, partly due to a shorter period of human occupation (since 1770). Seychelles today is known for success stories in protecting its flora and fauna. The rare Seychelles black parrot, the national bird of the country, is now protected.
The granitic islands of Seychelles are home to about 75 endemic plant species, with a further 25 or so species in the Aldabra group. Particularly well-known is the coco de mer, a species of palm that grows only on the islands of Praslin and neighbouring Curieuse. Sometimes nicknamed the "love nut" because the shape of its "double" coconut resembles buttocks, the coco-de-mer produces the world's heaviest seed. The jellyfish tree is to be found in only a few locations on Mahe. This strange and ancient plant in a genus of its own (Medusagyne) seems to reproduce only in cultivation and not in the wild. Other unique plant species include Wright's gardenia (Rothmannia annae) found only on Aride Island Special Reserve.
The freshwater crab genus Seychellum is endemic to the granitic Seychelles, and a further 26 species of crabs and five species of hermit crabs live on the islands.
The Aldabra giant tortoise now populates many of the islands of Seychelles; the Aldabra population is the largest remaining. These unique reptiles can be found even in captive herds. The granitic islands of Seychelles may support distinct species of Seychelles giant tortoises; the status of the different populations is currently unclear.
There are several unique species of orchid on the islands.
Seychelles hosts some of the largest seabird colonies in the world, notably on the outer islands of Aldabra and Cosmoledo. In granitic Seychelles the largest colonies are on Aride Island including the world's largest numbers of two species. Sooty terns also breed on the islands. Other birds include Cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) and Fairy terns (Gygis alba).
The marine life around the islands, especially the more remote coral islands, can be spectacular. More than 1,000 species of fish have been recorded.
Environmental issues
Since the use of spearguns and dynamite for fishing was banned through efforts of local conservationists in the 1960s, the wildlife is unafraid of snorkelers and divers. Coral bleaching in 1998 has damaged most reefs, but some reefs show healthy recovery (e.g., Silhouette Island).
Despite huge disparities across nations, Seychelles claims to have achieved nearly all of its Millennium Development Goals. 17 MDGS and 169 targets have been achieved. Environmental protection is becoming a cultural value.
Their government's Seychelles Climate Guide describes the nation's climate as rainy, with a dry season with an ocean economy in the ocean regions. The Southeast Trades is on the decline but still fairly strong. Reportedly, weather patterns there are becoming less predictable.
When the British gained control of the islands during the Napoleonic Wars, they allowed the French upper class to retain their land. Both the French and British settlers used enslaved Africans, and although the British prohibited slavery in 1835, African workers continued to come. Thus the Gran blan ("big whites") of French origin dominated economic and political life. The British administration employed Indians on indentured servitude to the same degree as in Mauritius resulting in a small Indian population. The Indians, like a similar minority of Chinese, were confined to a merchant class.
Through harmonious socioeconomic policies and developments over the years, today Seychelles is described as a fusion of peoples and cultures. Numerous Seychellois are considered multiracial: blending from African, Asian and European descent to create a modern creole culture. Evidence of this harmonious blend is also revealed in Seychellois food, incorporating various aspects of French, Chinese, Indian and African cuisine.
As the islands of Seychelles had no indigenous population, the current Seychellois are composed of people who have immigrated. The largest ethnic groups were those of African, French, Indian and Chinese descent. The median age of the Seychellois was 32 years.
French and English are official languages along with Seychellois Creole, which is primarily based upon French, yet nowadays is often laced with English words and phrases. Including second-language speakers, Seychellois is the most-spoken official language in the Seychelles, followed by French, and lastly English. 97% of the population speaks Seychellois, 60% speaks English, and 30% speaks French.
According to the 2010 census, most Seychellois are Christians: 76.2% were Roman Catholic, pastorally served by the exempt Diocese of Port Victoria or Seychelles (immediately dependent on the Holy See); 10.6% were Protestant, (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecostal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.6%).
Hinduism is practiced by 2.4%, and Islam by 1.6%. Other non-Christian faiths accounted for 1.1% of the population while a further 5.9% were non-religious or did not specify a religion.
During the plantation era, cinnamon, vanilla and copra were the chief exports. In 1965, during a three-month visit to the islands, futurist Donald Prell prepared for the then crown colony Governor General, an economic report containing a scenario for the future of the economy. Quoting from his report, in the 1960s, about 33% of the working population worked at plantations, and 20% worked in the public or government sector. The Indian Ocean Tracking Station on Mahé was closed in August 1996 after the Seychelles government attempted to raise the rent to more than $10,000,000 per year.
Since independence in 1976, per capita output has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labour force, compared to agriculture which today employs about 3% of the labour force. Despite the growth of tourism, farming and fishing continue to employ some people, as do industries that process coconuts and vanilla.
As of 2013, the main export products are processed fish (60%) and non-fillet frozen fish (22%).
The prime agricultural products currently produced in Seychelles include sweet potatoes, vanilla, coconuts and cinnamon. These products provide much of the economic support of the locals. Frozen and canned fish, copra, cinnamon and vanilla are the main export commodities.
Since the worldwide economic crises of 2008, the Seychelles government has prioritised a curbing of the budget deficit, including the containment of social welfare costs and further privatisation of public enterprises. The government has a pervasive presence in economic activity, with public enterprises active in petroleum product distribution, banking, imports of basic products, telecommunications and a wide range of other businesses. According to the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom, which measures the degree of limited government, market openness, regulatory efficiency, rule of law, and other factors, economic freedom has been increasing each year since 2010.
The national currency of Seychelles is the Seychellois rupee. Initially tied to a basket of international currencies it was depegged and allowed to be devalued and float freely in 2008 on the presumed hopes of attracting further foreign investment in the Seychelles economy.
In 1971, with the opening of Seychelles International Airport, tourism became a significant industry, essentially dividing the economy into plantations and tourism. The tourism sector paid better, and the plantation economy could only expand so far. The plantation sector of the economy declined in prominence, and tourism became the primary industry of Seychelles.
In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. These incentives have given rise to an enormous amount of investment in real estate projects and new resort properties, such as project TIME, distributed by the World Bank, along with its predecessor project MAGIC. Despite its growth, the vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991–1992 due largely to the Gulf War.
Since then the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, small-scale manufacturing and most recently the offshore financial sector, through the establishment of the Financial Services Authority and the enactment of several pieces of legislation (such as the International Corporate Service Providers Act, the International Business Companies Act, the Securities Act, the Mutual Funds and Hedge Fund Act, amongst others).
During March 2015, Seychelles allocated Assumption island to be developed by India.
Although multinational oil companies have explored the waters around the islands, no oil or gas has been found. In 2005, a deal was signed with US firm Petroquest, giving it exploration rights to about 30,000 km2 around Constant, Topaz, Farquhar and Coëtivy islands until 2014. Seychelles imports oil from the Persian Gulf in the form of refined petroleum derivatives at the rate of about 5,700 barrels per day (910 m3/d).
In recent years oil has been imported from Kuwait and also from Bahrain. Seychelles imports three times more oil than is needed for internal uses because it re-exports the surplus oil in the form of bunker for ships and aircraft calling at Mahé. There are no refining capacities on the islands. Oil and gas imports, distribution and re-export are the responsibility of Seychelles Petroleum (Sepec), while oil exploration is the responsibility of the Seychelles National Oil Company (SNOC).
Seychellois society is essentially matriarchal. Mothers tend to be dominant in the household, controlling most expenditures and looking after the interests of the children. Unwed mothers are the societal norm, and the law requires fathers to support their children. Men are important for their earning ability, but their domestic role is relatively peripheral.
Until the mid-19th century, little formal education was available in Seychelles. The Catholic and Anglican churches opened mission schools in 1851. The Catholic mission later operated boys' and girls' secondary schools with religious Brothers and nuns from abroad even after the government became responsible for them in 1944.
A teacher training college opened in 1959, when the supply of locally trained teachers began to grow, and in short time many new schools were established. Since 1981 a system of free education has been in effect requiring attendance by all children in grades one to nine, beginning at age five. Ninety percent of all children attend nursery school at age four.
The literacy rate for school-age children rose to more than 90% by the late 1980s. Many older Seychellois had not been taught to read or write in their childhood; adult education classes helped raise adult literacy from 60% to a claimed 100% in 2014.
There are a total of 68 schools in Seychelles. The public school system consists of 23 crèches, 25 primary schools and 13 secondary schools. They are located on Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette. Additionally, there are three private schools: École Française, International School and the Independent School. All the private schools are on Mahé, and the International School has a branch on Praslin. There are seven post-secondary (non-tertiary) schools: the Seychelles Polytechnic, School of Advanced Level Studies, Seychelles Tourism Academy, University of Seychelles Education, Seychelles Institute of Technology, Maritime Training Center, Seychelles Agricultural and Horticultural Training Center and the National Institute for Health and Social Studies.
The administration launched plans to open a university in an attempt to slow down the brain drain that has occurred. University of Seychelles, initiated in conjunction with the University of London, opened on 17 September 2009 in three locations and offers qualifications from the University of London.
Staple foods include fish, seafood and shellfish dishes, often accompanied with rice. Fish dishes are cooked in several ways, such as steamed, grilled, wrapped in banana leaves, baked, salted and smoked. Curry dishes with rice are also a significant aspect of the country's cuisine.
Additional food staples include coconut, breadfruit, mangoes and kordonnyen fish. Dishes are often garnished with fresh flowers.
The music of Seychelles is diverse, a reflection of the fusion of cultures through its history. The folk music of the islands incorporates multiple influences in a syncretic fashion, including African rhythms, aesthetic and instrumentation—such as the zez and the bom (known in Brazil as berimbau), European contredanse, polka and mazurka, French folk and pop, sega from Mauritius and Réunion, taarab, soukous and other pan-African genres, and Polynesian, Indian and Arcadian music.
A form of percussion music called contombley is popular, as is Moutya, a fusion of native folk rhythms with Kenyan benga. Kontredans (based on European contredanse) is popular, especially in District and School competitions during the annual Festival Kreol (International Creole Festival). Moutya playing and dancing can often be seen at beach bazaars. Their main languages are Seychellois Creole of the French language, French and English.
Media and telecommunications
The main daily newspaper is the Seychelles Nation, dedicated to local government views and current affairs and topics. Other political parties operate other papers such as Regar. Foreign newspapers and magazines are readily available in most bookshops and newsagents. The papers are mostly written in Seychellois Creole, French and English.
The main television and radio network is operated by the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation which offers locally produced news and discussion programmes in the Seychellois Creole language. Broadcasts run between 3pm and 11:30pm on weekdays and longer hours during the weekends. There are also imported English and French language television programmes imported on Seychellois terrestrial television and international satellite television has grown rapidly in recent years.
The most popular sport in Seychelles is basketball, which has particularly developed in this decade. The country's national team qualified for the 2015 African Games, its greatest accomplishment to date. There, the team competed against some of the continent's largest countries such as Egypt.
The Military of Seychelles is the Seychelles People's Defence Force which consists of a number of distinct branches: including an Infantry Unit, Coast Guard, Air Force and a Presidential Protection Unit. India has and continues to play a key role developing the military of Seychelles. After handing over 2 SDB Mk5 patrol vessels namely INS Tarasa and INS Tarmugli to Seychelles Coast Guard, built by GRSE which were subsequently renamed SCG Constant and SCG Topaz, India also gifted a Dornier Maritime Patrol aircraft built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. India also signed a pact to develop the Assumption Island, one of the 115 islands that make up the country. Spread over 11 km2 (4 sq mi), it is strategically located in the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar. The island is being leased for development of infrastructure, a euphemism for developing strategic assets by India.
In 2014, Seychelles had the highest incarceration rate in the world of 799 prisoners per 100,000 population, exceeding the United States rate by 15%. Note however, the country's actual population is less than 100,000; as of September 2014, Seychelles had 735 actual prisoners, only 6% of whom were female, incarcerated in three prisons.
Modern piracy
Seychelles is a key participant in the fight against Indian Ocean piracy mainly by Somalis. Former president James Michel said that piracy costs between $7–12 million a year to the international community: "The pirates cost 4% of the Seychelles GDP, including direct and indirect costs for the loss of boats, fishing, and tourism, and the indirect investment for the maritime security," factors affecting local fishing – one of the country's main national resources – which had a 46% loss in 2008–9. International contributions of patrol boats, planes or drones have been provided to help Seychelles combat sea piracy.


text:
Kofi Adjei
Kofi Adjei is a holder of an MFA degree in Ceramic from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He teaches and practices studio ceramics at the Department of Industrial Art, KNUST. His research interests include ceramics mixed media; aesthetics and criticism, materials and methods in ceramics production; and ornamentation in architecture and indigenous pottery production in Ghana.


text:
I've got a fixed width layout site much like SE and Twitter and it personally bugs me when my "short" pages don't reach the bottom of the page. I've been wondering if this is a purely stylistic issue or if any research or standards exist for this situation. It seems to me that it would keep all elements at the greatest level of spacial consistency, and I have noticed that big sites like Twitter do tend to fill all vertical real estate with "container" rather than "padding".
Here's an example on a 1280x1024 monitor of a very empty page on the site. As you can see there is a great deal of visible padding. On the other hand a great deal of whitespace would replace it with a "fixed" height solution.
At the moment the footer of the page is unused (it's an intranet site and I guess the client opted against/forgot even simple copyright information at the bottom) so I figured this is less important in this case, but I have noticed most "modern" sites do this so I was wondering if there's formal research/debate on the matter. I would like to make the change but I hate to change the user interface without a solid reason, as I did not create the original design.